The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-03
The Morning Bath.

~ b. Seight, Good Housekeeping.
For clearing the brain, as we'll as the complex
ion for disspating the lingering vagaries of tho
night and setting the blood tingling TO the finger
tips for putting new song in the month and
gladuess id the heart that no wine can give, for
making one feel that in spite of the lamentations
of the pessimist and the indifference Of the ag-
nostic. life is worth living to the uttermost
there is nothing that can take the place OF the
morning bath. 1t is said that in Alaska the
Indian boys take a plunge bath every morn
ing, even when 1t is necessary to break the ice,
the nearest sheet of water serving for their
bath-tub and that. on coming out, they switch
themselves dry with rods and branches. But
this heroic treatment. while it may agree with
Alaskan youths and no doubt tends to make
Spartans of them, would be hazardous expert
ment for the heirs of our "higher civilization"
Even plunge into cold water in a comfortable
bathroom gives too great shock to the system
to be safely INDUCED in, except by those who
have been accustomed to it from infancy; and
however safe it might be, it would be impracti-
cable for the majority OF those who live outside
the city limits, as comparatively few country
houses are supplied with bath-tubs. But tub
of water is by means necessary for an invig-
Grating bath. Dr. bio Lewis, in lecturing to his
classes. urged the Importance of the morning
bath, even il not more than pint of cold water
could be obtained for the purpose, the benefit de-
pending more on the friction than on the amount
of water used.
For ordinary bathing the foot of a coarse cot
ton stocking a knitted wash cloth made to tit
the hand. like mtten, is much better than a
sponge, but for the upper part of the body moth
ing is better than the naked hand. Ono should
never stand with bare feet while bathing; either
give the feet good rubbing with wash-cloth
and towel on first getting out of bed, putting the
stockings and shoes on at once, or put on pair
of warm slippers and let the feet wait till the
rest of the bath is taken. Then 'girding the
loins" dash the water over the throat, chest.
shoulders and back, down to the waist and after
rubbing vigorously with q moderately coarse
-.
tinue the process, using the wash-cloth instead
of the naked hand for the rest of the body. 1t
is:not necessary to consume more than ten min
nutes in the operation, and this sort of q bath,
even if taken in a freless room on a November
morning will put the bather In glow that will
| last till the remainder OF the toilet is made.
OF course, for delicate child or invalid il
would not be advisable to begin this regimen in
| cold weather. but if practiced during the sum
mer it can safely be continued through the win
ter, in a room where there is sufficient heat to
| take off the chill And child or adult who
| has had vigorous rubbing from head to foot is
much more likely to come to the breakfast table
| rosy and smiling than one who has washed only
| the face and hands.
The best time for warm bath is at night,
| shortly before retiring as the relaxing of the
| system opens the way for colds Many serious
cold is brought on by exposure after warm
bath. l have in mind a young girl who one
bleak afternoon, took warm bath and little
| later went sleigh riding. The result was o cold
on the lungs that very nearly proved fatal.
An excess of bathing, even in summer, is more
or less facilitating. Scarcely summer passes
| that we do not hear of some one who has been
| harmed by too much saltwater bathing and one
may be equally harmed by too much bathing in
doors. Persons who perspire freely often in
jure themselves, in their over-fastidiousness, by
changing their undergarments two or three
times in the course of the day and accompanying
every change with a BATH as the process neces-
| sariy reduces the vitality. But with mankind
in general the tendency is to do too little rather
than too much bathing. In winter, especially,
| there is shrinking from contact with water
that is not at least lukewarm; yet there is moth
| ing like cold wather for strengthening the
throat and lungs and terrifying one against
colds, and if in addition to the weekly bath with
soap aud warm water, that every civilized being
is supposed to take for simple cleanliness sake,
the masses could be persuaded 40 take q good
rubbing off daily with cold water it would go
long way toward renovatine the race physically,
intellectually and spiritually. For those who
lead sedantary life this tonic is even more
essential than for those who are much in the
omen air